A pilgrimage to the Mantralayam Raghavendra Swamy Temple ended in a heartbreaking tragedy when five members of the same family were killed in a head-on collision near Emmiganur in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district. Venkatesh (76), a resident of Chikkahosahalli in Karnataka’s Kolar district, had travelled to Mantralayam along with his daughter Meenakshi (32), relative Satish (34), and grandsons Banit (5) and Rithvik (4) to offer prayers at the Raghavendra Swamy Temple. While returning from the pilgrimage on Saturday, their car was travelling near Kottakallu, close to Emmiganur in Kurnool district.
At that point, it collided head-on with another speeding car coming from the opposite direction. The impact was devastating, killing Venkatesh, Meenakshi, Satish, Banit, and Rithvik on the spot. On receiving information, the Adoni police rushed to the location, recovered the bodies, and shifted them to the Adoni Government Hospital for post-mortem examination. The car’s driver, Chethan, and a woman passenger, Gangamma, sustained serious injuries.
Both were taken to Adoni Hospital for emergency treatment.
Meanwhile, the other car involved in the crash reportedly fled the scene immediately after the collision. Police have launched an investigation to trace the vehicle and determine the cause of the accident. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed his condolences to the bereaved family and directed officials to provide necessary assistance.
